Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday criticised the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi for their promise to conduct a "caste census," accusing them of using the issue as a ploy to manipulate voters for political gain.
Speaking at a rally in Jharkhand's Mahagama, Singh challenged the Congress to come up with a concrete plan for distributing reservation benefits among the numerous castes and sub-castes in the country.
"In 2011, a socio-economic caste census was conducted, which revealed the presence of around 46 lakh castes, sub-castes, and gotras. According to the Ministry of Social Welfare, there are about 1,200 Scheduled Castes (SC), over 750 Scheduled Tribes (ST), and around 2,500 Other Backward Classes (OBCs). How will Congress manage the distribution of reservation quotas among all these groups?" Singh asked.
He further demanded that Congress present a clear blueprint for implementing such a system.
Singh also took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, saying, "He should answer how ma